Weft-replenishing loom.



No. 878,887. PATBNTBD PEB. 4, 1908. w. H. BROTHERS.

WE1-"T RBPLENISHING Loom.

APPLICATION FILED IAB. 15, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. WQH. BROTHERS. l

-WEFT REPLBNISHING LOOM.

APILIGATIOH FILED IAB.. 15, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED m14, 1908.

W. E. BROTHERS. WEPI' REPLENISHING LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED IAR. 15, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET '3.

VUM

g" unirsi) STATES PATENT onirica.

WILLIAM H. BROTHERS, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, 'i

TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

WEE-REPLENISHING LOOM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed Kirch 15. 1906- Saril No. 8061.175-

l'a citizen of the United States, and resident of Dedham, county ofNorfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inWeft-Replenishing Looms, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention is an improvement on that class of loom wherein theshuttle is changed prior to complete exhaustion.

'My invention is-illustrated in connection with a loom of the kindrepresented in United States Reissue Patent' No. 12,370, dated July 11,1905.

ln the patent referred to, vthe change of shuttle is effected at thedesired time b a movement-of the operator or manually, but herein I haveprovided means for automaticall changing the shuttle prior to completeex austion.

Figure 1 is a partial view of the left hand end of av loom showing someof my improvements added thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fi 1; Fig. 3is a left hand end view, partia ly in section of the loom represented inFig. f 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of a mouth piece of the lay andparts carried thereby; Fig. 5 is a section in the line x, Fig. 4; Fig. 6is a detail showing the ri ht-hand end of the lay detached in front eevation, with a shuttle-sustained thereon; Fig.l 7 is a plan view of theparts shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 1s an enlarged top view of one .end of ashuttle containing features of my invention; Fig. 9 shows the side ofthe shuttle partially broken out to illustrate the mechanism' each endof the lay, the binder es, its spring c, the box guide`32, the protectorrod B having the dagger B7 and binder finger 135,.

the cam shaft B, its gear B', the crank shaft p B3,its gear :B2 engagedand rotated by gear B', the connecting rods B attached to the lay, thedisk b carried by the cam shaft and having a groove b', the stud bs, thepivoted hook its arm b2, guide b3, lever b", pivoted at b1and having aroller or other stud 128, en-

tering said cam groove, the ca e D for the reception of the spareshuttle4 X said cage being mounted on the hand rail, the binder D',spring 4D2 acting on said binder, the rod c on the hand rail, its pickerc2, springs 03 cords c4, drums c5, shafts c carried by said drum, hooksc", 4catch d', carried by the breast-beam, all are and may be asprovided for in said United States patent, and said parts need nottherefore be herein more fullyr described, as their operation is fullyset forth in said patent. In that patent the hook b was moved intoposition to be engaged by the lever b through a push-rod or manuallycontrolled device acted upon and moved by the workman, or loom attendantwhen a shuttlewas to be changed, but in the invention herein containedthe lever is moved automatically and the time at which said lever ismoved preparatory to changing a shuttle prior to complete exhaustion isdetermined by or through means carried by the shuttle, as I will nowproceed to describe.

'Referring to Figs. 8 to 10, showing the end of the shuttle D muchenlarged, 12 represents the shuttle spindle on which is mounted thefilling-mass 10. The head of the spindle pivoted on a pin 13 has anattached bobbin-en aging s ring 14 which is released from t e bobbin bycontact with a pin 15 when the spindle is turned out of the space of theshuttle-body.

The spindle is maintained normally in its operative position in theshuttle by a rod 16 and spring 17.

In accordance with my invention l have combined with the shuttle, and asherein shown with the head of the spindle, a feeler 18 under the controlof a spring 19 that acts normally to keep the feeler in contact with thefilling mass 10 at its end nearest the pin 13.

The feeler is shown as pivoted on projections 20 extended laterally fromthe spindlehead and one of said projections 1s surrounded by the spring19, one end of which is connected with the feeler and the other with ashort pin 21 extended from the head.

One arm of the feeler is provided with a lug 23 that is engaged by ashoulder 240i a of the shuttle to warrant the continuance of the use ofthe shuttle in weaving;

A spring 27 of greater strengt than s ring 19 acts against the undersideof the regu ator and kee s the same normally in its full line positionig. 9.

The back plate 31 carried by-the lay at the single shuttle-box endthereof, see Fig; 6, has a forwardly extended depressor h that acts onthe regulator 25 and depresses the same on each arrival of the runningshuttle at that box to be picked therefrom in usual manner across theraceway of the lay by the usual picker mechanism that. said shuttle maybe returned to the cell e ofthe shifting or drop shuttle-box E.

In ractice the single shuttle-box will be provi ed at its front sidewith a binder h and a spring h2, but partially shown, and the pickerstick and its picker will be the same as in said patent.

Each time that the runnin shuttle D arrives at the single box-end I-ofthe lay, the depresser h acting on the regulator depresses the same intothe innermost dotted line position shown in Fig. 9, thus removing theshoulder 24 of the regulator from the lug 23 and permitting thefeeler-18 under the action olf its s ring 19 to meet the filling in theshutt e. immediately thereafter, the regulator having passed thedepresser h, rises under the action of the stronger spring 27 and theprojection 24 of the regulator again contacts w1th the lug 23 of thefeeler. This action continues until the filling is so far exhausted asto make it desirable to effect a change of filling, and the time atwhich this change of filling .may be effected is redetermined accordinto the amount of ing it is desirable to Ieave on the bobbin before achange of filling.

When the filling has been exhausted sufficiently to call for a change ofshuttle, the feeler acted u on by the spring 19 when the regulator isepressed, as stated, is moved far enough before contacting with thefilling to lace the lug 23 of the feeler out of the pat of theprojection 24 of the regulating device as the latter is raised by itssprin 27, and the prong 30 then meets the lug 23 o the feeler and theregulator is arrested in its abnormal or most outward position, asindicated by the outermost dotted lines Fi 9.

The regulator when in its abnorma position becomes effective to startautomatically into operation means for raising the shuttlebox to effecta change of filling before complete exhaustion.

The mouth-piece F leading into the shuttle-box E is provided with buntercontrolling his movement is made instantly, and' mechanism, hereinrepresented as a leg 35 fast on one end of a rock-shaft 36 having an arm37 and a pin 61 1acted uqpn by a spring l 38, said spring acting norma ytokee the f leg 35 in the position shown atthe rig t in Fl; 5. p l

he regulating device has a proiection 60 'that when the regulatoroccupies its abnormal position meets the arm 37 and turns therock-shaft, lettin the bunter mechanism, which I will now escribe, comeinto its operative position.

The bunter mechanism comprises a lever 39 pivoted at 40 in a stand 41depending from a crosslate e2 at the lower end of the shifting shutte-box E, said lever being acted the leg 35 away from the rod 44,permitting the compressed spring 43 to act and depress the right handend of the lever 39, this bein done while the lay is moving forwardly anconsequently as the lay is moved backwardly, the end of the lever 39meets the end of a hook-controller 44x shown as a lever pivoted at 45 ona stud heldin the loom frame, moving said lever backwardly in thedirection of the arrow thereon, said lever at the same time movinglwithitin the direction of the arrow near its end an arm 46 loosely mountedon a stud 47 of said hook-controller, said arm being moved in thedirection of movement of the lever through a spring 48 connecting thecontroller and arm, and as the arm meets the pin 49 on the hook b, saidhook is moved to the left, viewing Fig. 2 into the ath of movement ofthe lever b, which I shall) hereinafter designate as the actuator, andsaid actuator, in engagement with the hook b and moved by the groove b,lifts the hook and with it the shuttle-boxrod and shuttle-box E, placingthe cell e opposite the cage D containing the spare shutt e DX.

After the regulating device 25 has been permitted, through scarcity oflling in the shuttle, to occupy its outermost dotted line position Fig.9, and has tripped the le 35 as said shuttle enters the cell e of the suttlebox E for the last timeprior to its being changed, said shuttle isreturned again to the single box end of the lay, and when the layarrives at the proper position to again have the shuttle picked back tothe .shuttle-box end of the lay, the shuttle-box E having been raised toplace its cell e opposite the end of the spare shuttle DX, then theshuttle which ,is to be changed enters the shuttle-box E, drops on theshelf e2, and'substantially at the same time through mechanism to be described the shuttle DX, the lay being then on evase? its back stroke, ispicked from the cage D and enters the cell e. After this the shuttleboxE descends, and the spare shuttle placed in the celle and containing afresh supply of filling is picked across the lay to the singleshuttle-box, and the spent shuttle resting on the shelf e2 is dischargedfrom the loom.

It will be understood when the shuttle-box E is raised grior to changingthe shuttle as described, t at a projection 50 at the lower end of afinger dependin from the shuttlebox E meets the outer en of lever 39forming part of the bunter mechanism, compresses spring 43, and lowersrod 44, permitting the leg 35 t'o again assume its normal position,-

as shown at the right, Fig. 5, under the action of spring 38. Also asthe shuttle-box E is raised, a'projection 51 rising from shelf elg meetsthe end of a. lever 52 pivoted to the lay at53 and extended forwardly,causing said lever to act against the under side of a hook c9 common tosaid patent, lifting the hook to engage with catch d', and thereafter asthe lay is moved backwardly` the shuttle DX is picked as described fromthe cage D into the cell e of the shuttle-box E.

It will be understood that the shuttle Dx from the cage and the shuttlewhich is to be changed enter res )ectively the c'ells e andthe space ofthe shutt e-box E to drop onto shelf e2 when the lay is lifted and onits back stroke.

I have not described the action of the protector rod anddagger as theywill be operated in usual manner, and they form no part of my presentinvention which is directed to 'automatically effecting the changing ofa shuttle prior to complete exhaustion, the time of discharging theshuttle being regulated from the s uttle itself.

The shed forming devices, picking mechanism, and other usual parts ofthe loom not shown, will and may be such as commonly emIployed in vpowerlooms.

believe that I am the first to provide a shuttle with a feeler to bearon the filling in the shuttle, said feeler determining when a regulatingdevice with which it coacts and carried by the shuttle may be put intoits abnormal position to actuate mechanism that determines when theshifting shuttlebox will be moved to effect a change of shuttles, and Idesire to claim my invention broadly irrespective of the exact form inwhich I have chosen to construct the dierent elements hereinbeforedescribed showing `my invention in one of its best forlns now known tome, as it will be apparent that the parts described as of my inventionmay be variously modified in shape without departing from my inventionas herein broadly described and claimed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a loom, a lay, a shifting shuttle-bok,

means for moving the shuttle-box on the lay, a shuttle having a feelerand a regulating device, and mechanism'actuated by said regulatingdevice to determine the time when the shifting shuttle-box shall bemoved to effect y a change of shuttle.

2. In a loom, a lay, a shifting-shuttle box, an actuator, a shuttlehaving a feeler and regulator, a hook, hook -controlling mechanism,bunter mechanism,.and bunter-controlling means, the latter beingactuated by the regulator of the shuttle when the filling is to bechanged, to thereby place the bunter mechanism so that it may move thehookcontroller to position said hook in the ath of 1movement of saidactuator to lift the s uttle- 3. In a loom, a lay, a shiftingshuttle-box, an actuator, a hook, hook-controlling mechanism, buntermechanism carried by the lay, and automatic means to move the buntermechanism to engage and move said hookcontrolling mechanism to effectthe engagement of said hook with said actuator to ralse the shuttle-box.

4. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle-box at one end thereof and a depressor,combined with a shuttle, a feeler carried thereby, a spring to move thefeeler to engage the filling mass in the shuttle, a regulator, astronger spring to move it in one direction, said depressor mov- 'ingsaid regulator in the other direction that the spring of the feeler maymove the latter to contact with the filling-mass.

5. A lay, having at one end a shuttle-box provided with a depressor,combined with a shuttle having a spring-controlled feeler, and

a spring-controlled regulator, the action of the depressor on theregulator permitting the feeler to contact intermittingly with thefilling in the shuttle.

6. A lay havin at one end a shuttle-box provided with a epressor,combined with a shuttle having a spring-controlled feeler, and aregulator normally under the stress of a spring stron er than that usedwith the feeler t 1e action o the depressor on the regulator permittinthe feeler to contact intermittingly witfli the filling in the shuttle.

7. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle having a spindle, a spring-controlledfeeler pivoted on said spindle, and a spring-controlled regulator,combined with a shuttle-box at one end of the lay rovided with adepressor coacting with said) regulator to permit the feeler 12o tocontact intermittingly wlth thel filling in the shuttle.

8. A lay having at one end a shuttle-box provided with a depressor,combined with a' shuttle having a spindle and a spring-conmally to movethe regulator outwardly, the shoulder of the regulator contacting withthe lip of the feeler to limit the outward movement of the regulatoruntil the filling in the* shuttle has been exhausted to a predeterminedoint, when the descent of the feeler into its a normal position placesits lip out -of the path of the regulator moved by its spring, and1permits the regulator to occupy I 10 itsabnorma position.

9. In a loom,'a lay7 adro shuttle-box, a hook connected with the ros 4ofsaid box, a continuously-o erating actuator, a shuttle having a reguator abnormally ositioned 15 when the illing has been exhauste to apredetermined polnt short of complete4 exhaustion, and means set inmotion y said regulator to effect the engagement of said hook with saidactuator to lift the shuttle-box preparatory to eil'ecting a change ofshuttle.

10. In a loom, a drop shuttle-box, av hook connected with its rod, acontinuously moving actuator, a. controller, an arm pivoted on name tothis specication, in the presence of 30 two subscribing witnesses.

'WILLIAM BROTHERS.

v Witnesses:

LESTER A. NEwooMB, ADA V. MCBRIDE.

